Fear The Dragon – Gural 150 mile rule illegal

I thought it might be easier to just send this out in advance about the Meadowlands Pace entry box. Fear The Dragon was really in good form Saturday at the Hempt and we were tempted to change plans and go and supplement to the Meadowlands Pace.

I had a private conversation with Jeff Gural, owner of the Meadowlands, a week earlier and told him I would be willing to supplement if it looked like there might be 13 or less entries so Dragon could get a bye and have a week off. But I told Jeff that I thought his 150 mile two week stabling rule was totally unfair to somebody from Ohio and there was no way I would do that to my horse. It would have forced Dragon to go straight from Pocono and spend two weeks there, while the New Jersey horses all get to sit at home. This is even if he had taken a bye. 

For the good of the sport I might have supplemented, but that was the clincher in deciding to stick to his original schedule. Jeff admitted that his rule had unintended consequences but was not willing to change it.

I told him that although I am totally supportive of out of competition testing, that his 150 mile rule was totally unfair and in fact, I think, illegal. 

I told him and would go on record saying that this geographic rule is terrible for the sport and The Meadowlands, turning it into nothing more than a "B" track which is very sad.

Even if I had already paid into the race in the normal fashion and he made that rule I would have refused to go. I might have even considered legal action because how can you do that to someone like Downbytheseaside who had paid in and everything? I told Brian Brown before the Hempt Final that unless that rule was changed that there is no way I would send Dragon. That is why Brian stated in the winner circle that he was "99%" certain that Dragon would not go. The rule was not changed and Seaside (who I do not own) did not return on the trailer with Dragon back to Ohio and headed for New Jersey right after the Hempt. 

Dragon came straight back to my farm and is being rested to get ready for The Adios at the Meadows. My wife and I got engaged there 42 years ago so it is a race that means something to us, especially with Roger Huston calling the races.

I had been planning to supplement to the Cane at the Meadowlands as well, but again if that rule stays in place I will not. I will also never stake another horse to the Meadowlands as long as Jeff discriminates against horses not trained in New Jersey.

Bruce Trogdon

GURAL RESPONDS TO TROGDON’S ALLEGATIONS REGARDING MEADOWLANDS PACE TESTING PROTOCOL

The following is Meadowlands Chairman Jeff Gural’s response to owner Bruce Trogdon, who has blamed Gural’s out-of-competition testing rules for not supplementing his top 3-year-old colt Fear The Dragon to the $700,000 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace on July 15.

“While we can appreciate Mr. Trogdon's position, everyone else has accepted the terms of our out-of-competition testing program and is ready to race. We host nearly $12 million in stakes races at the Meadowlands and no other harness track produces nightly wagering handle at our level. We achieve all of this without purses that are inflated by money from alternative gaming. Most importantly, we care about the integrity of our races, especially our signature events. If that makes us a "B Track" as Mr. Trogdon alleges, I would like to know what an "A Track" is.”